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  "path": "/story/26/03/11/0026235/a-1300-pound-nasa-spacecraft-to-re-enter-earths-atmosphere?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed",
  "publishedAt": "2026-03-11T07:11:10.334Z",
  "site": "https://science.slashdot.org",
  "tags": [
    "nasa",
    "Read more of this story"
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  "textContent": "Van Allen Probe A, a 1,300-pound (600 kg) NASA satellite launched in 2012 to study Earth's radiation belts, is expected to re-enter Earth's atmosphere this week. While most of it is expected to burn up during descent, \"some components may survive,\" reports the BBC. \"The space agency said there is a one in 4,200 chance of being harmed by a piece of the probe, which it characterized as 'low' risk.\" From the report: The spacecraft is projected to re-enter around 19:45 EST (00:45 GMT) on Tuesday the U.S. Space Force predicted, according to Nasa, though there is a 24-hour margin of \"uncertainty\" in the timing. [...] The spacecraft and its twin, Van Allen Probe B, were on a mission to gather unprecedented data on Earth's two permanent radiation belts. It was not immediately clear where in Earth's atmosphere the satellite is projected to re-enter. NASA and the U.S. Space Force has said it will monitor the re-entry and update any predictions. [...] Van Allen Probe B is not expected to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere before 2030.\n\n \n\nRead more of this story at Slashdot.",
  "title": "A 1,300-Pound NASA Spacecraft To Re-Enter Earth's Atmosphere",
  "updatedAt": "2026-03-11T07:00:00.000Z"
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